by V. Vaughn
Considering Tokala was treated like royalty by the Veilleux clan, I imagine life without perks was his version of hell. And since Tori Veilleux is committed to peace within the clans of the Northeast Kingdom, I reluctantly believe Victor is right that Tokala is on the straight and narrow these days because he has no alternative choice. “What do you know about the gypsy witches?”
“They don’t let morality get in the way of getting the job done.”
Bella is losing patience and snaps at Victor. “Tell us something we don’t know. Like names.”
Victor gazes up as if he’s thinking, and a smirk forms on his face. Lucian, who has been silently watching until now, says, “Dreaming of a better place? Sorry. We can’t help with that.”
I want to slap my hand over Lucian’s mouth, and Victor’s eyes dance with amusement as he glances at Lucian. “What makes you think I’m not happy where I am?”
Lucian lets out a snort, but I suspect Kimi spelled his lips shut when he doesn’t open his mouth to say more. Now I’m the one losing my patience, and I bark out, “Names.”
“Andrew’s daughter.” Victor smiles as he glances down at his scotch. “Entertaining man.” He gazes at me as I do my best to control my urge to spell him a world of hurt before he can continue. This man pushes my emotional buttons in a way that makes me feel used, abused, and thrown out like the trash. He finally rewards me with information. “A witch named Cassandra was the mastermind behind the portals.”
Leanne asks, “Cassandra from Salem?” Her eyes are wide, and it dawns on me which Andrew Victor meant. Cassandra is a direct descendent of one of the original Salem witches who was actually a warlock the history books don’t talk about. Goose bumps form on my skin as I realize the magnitude of our enemy. Cassandra and her two sisters are a powerful redheaded trio we can’t beat. But they are also known for their integrity. I wonder if Cassandra is acting on her own and what she might have done to be cast from her coven. But these are questions I can find answers to in the witch world, so I push for more. “Anyone else?”
Victor scowls before he breaks into a grin. “The wicked witch of the west is Cassandra’s sidekick.” He chuckles as he holds his glass out for Leanne to refill it. “Evie used to work for a clan in Wyoming.” He licks his lips slowly as his gaze heats up with what I think is sexual desire. “Seems she couldn’t keep her hands to herself, and when she was caught in a compromising position with the alpha’s son--” Victor takes a swig from his glass and gulps it down before he lets out a low growl. “It didn’t go well.”
He tugs at the collar of his shirt as if he’s dressed too warmly, and I wonder if he’s thinking about Lily. I don’t think I’m going to get much more out of him, so I glance at Kimi. “I’m done.”
She nods at me. “Very well.” The older woman stands slowly and says to Victor, “I’ll take you to Lily now.”
“My time with her starts when I see her.”
Kimi’s eyes flash with her power, and her voice takes on a dangerous tone when she replies, “Your time starts when I say it does.”
Victor stands with fire in his eyes, and I wonder if he’s going to shift. He seems to be taller than I remember him, and when he gets to the doorway, he fills it to block the light fron the flames for a moment. Kimi is a petite woman, but with her powers, I’ve never thought of her as weak. Right now, though, she appears smaller than ever as she leads him to her ancient truck that is held together by duct tape and a lot of magic. I suppress the urge to call out and remind her to watch her back before I turn my focus to matters I can try to control. I say to Leanne, “Tell me everything you know about Cassandra.”
She takes a deep breath. “We’re in so much trouble. She...”
I glance at Lucian when he continues Leanne’s thought. “She and her sisters had a falling out. Cassandra fell in love with a regular man who asked her to stop practicing magic. She chose him over her family.”
Bella picks up Victor’s glass and gazes at it with a grimace as she says, “Love makes you stupid.”
I think about how much I love Marcel, and how I’d risk almost anything for him. But I can’t imagine giving up my magic, and it occurs to me Cassandra didn’t either. “But she didn’t stop practicing. She’s behind the portals.”
“True,” snarls Lucian.
Oh no. My stomach flips. What if Cassandra’s boyfriend is the leader of the Eradicators? “Could she be in love with Sinclair?”
“That’s possible.” Leanne gets up to pace. “It would make sense that he’d lure Cassandra away from her family before revealing he wanted to use her magic for his cause.”
Bella stepped out of the room to put Victor’s glass in the kitchen, but she can still hear us. She returns with a plate of cookies and holds it out to Leanne. “You said we’re in trouble. Why?”
Leanne takes a cookie. “She’s more powerful than all of us.” She glances at Lucian. “Even if we boosted Tally, Cassandra would win in a head-to-head battle.”
I frown as I ponder a way around Cassandra. “We can’t let them win. We’ll just have to be smarter.”
Lucian lifts a cookie to his mouth and repeats Victor’s words. “Or not let morality stand in the way.” He bites down hard on his treat as he stares at me.
I rub my arms as my blood runs cold. We’ve already gone down the path, using black magic to get information, and it doesn’t sit well with me that we may have to keep using it to keep our clans safe. I rub at my temple where a headache pounds. “There’s got to be another way.”
“Tally.” Bella takes my hand, and her fingers are warm on my skin. “You need to rest.”
She’s right. My magic is slowly draining as I keep Victor on earth, and I know I’m going to need to lie down soon. I lean back and let the soft pillows of the couch cushion me. I’m having trouble concentrating, and close my eyes. A vision of Izzy handing me one of her babies plays out in my mind, and I imagine that it’s the next alpha for the Ouellette clan. The clan of werebear I’ve sworn to protect no matter what it takes.
Chapter 5
Izzy
Rachel’s eyes are red from crying, and her hand shakes as she lifts her cup of tea for a sip. I can only imagine her guilt. Earlier today she was compelled to lure her daughter Kelsey to a restaurant out of our territory, and hunters kidnapped the girl right in front of Rachel. Now that the woman is no longer under a spell, she’s racked with pain over what she did to her daughter. My mother-in-law Grace and I have been trying to convince her she wasn’t at fault, but Rachel is struggling to believe us.
The front door creaks open, and I glance up from the kitchen counter to Henri, who rushes in. While he would usually be out with the warriors trying to find Kelsey, Jean Luc ordered him to stay back. My husband didn’t want to leave our clan vulnerable, and I suspect he wants Henri here for me too. Rachel stands and lets out a gasp when Henri pulls her into his arms. “It’s not your fault,” he says.
She wails as she gazes up at Henri “But it is. I knew what was happening, but I couldn’t stop myself. It was like I had no control over my actions.”
“Because you didn’t,” says Henri. “Witches are very powerful, and one compelled you to get to Kelsey.” He grips her arms. “Stop torturing yourself. It could have happened to any one of us.”
She shakes her head. “I can’t stop thinking about what’s going to happen to her.” She clutches at Henri’s shirt. “If she--”
Henri places a finger on her mouth. “Shhh. The hunters are not going to hurt her. They took Kelsey because she’s valuable to them.”
Unfortunately, I’m not so sure Kelsey won’t suffer at the hands of the hunters, but I would reassure Rachel the same way if I were Henri. There’s no need to make her feel worse than she already does. I say, “Rachel, Jean Luc and his warriors will find her. I’m sure of it.”
“They will,” says Henri as he glances at me. “Where is Caitlyn?”
“She’s at René’s with Nadia. She thinks they’re having a girls�
� night and knows nothing.”
He nods, and I think he’s satisfied that a powerful polar werebear is watching over one of his daughters. I wish we’d thought to have Kelsey guarded too. We should have realized she’d be vulnerable as the twin to a hunter we have in our possession. It makes me wonder how much Caitlyn told the hunters about the Ouellette clan. Do they know Henri is second-in-command?
Steam rises up from a pan as Grace pulls out a batch of hot blueberry muffins, and the aroma makes my stomach growl. Grace says, “Help yourself, everyone. Rachel, I’m going to go get a room ready for you.”
“Oh no. I’m happy to stay at Kelsey’s.”
“No,” I say. “You are safer here with me and Henri.” I know about the comfort of your true mate’s arms and add, “Henri’s room is right next to yours.”
My stomach growls again, and even though it’s late at night, I’m hungry for another meal. I know I need to eat to keep my triplets growing, so I walk over to the refrigerator and ask, “Does anyone want some chowder?” Nobody takes me up on my offer, so I fill a bowl to microwave, and the buttons beep as I set the machine to cook.
Henri grabs a muffin while Rachel fiddles with her teacup. She says, “I know this is probably clan business I’m not privy to, but can anyone tell me what is really going on here? Does this have something to do with Caitlyn escaping?”
Since I have no doubt Rachel will succumb to the true-mate attraction to Henri and will likely become a Ouellette in the near future, I decide to tell her more. “I fear the hunters don’t think Caitlyn escaped their clutches. They likely think she’s been a spy for us all along.”
“Yes,” says Henri. “The fact she shifted in front of them has to have them wondering how they didn’t know she was a werebear.”
“Has anyone talked to her about it yet?” asks Rachel.
Rachel hasn’t met Caitlyn yet, because when she asked to see her, Caitlyn refused. While we could certainly force the meeting to happen, Henri thought it would be best if we waited until Caitlyn was ready. And while I’m sure it was painful, Rachel understood.
I shake my head. “Caitlyn doesn’t trust us yet.” I think about Nadia and how determined she is to give Caitlyn a new life and help her fit into the clan again. “We’re working on it. Nadia is from my family’s clan, the De Roziers, and she’s been training with Caitlyn at the gym.” I reach for a muffin. “Nadia has been bounced around and felt like an outcast for much of her life until she met her true mate, René. If anyone can get through to Caitlyn and help her find happiness, it’s Nadia.”
“Good,” says Rachel. She’s sitting next to Henri at the kitchen counter, and she sets her tea down and places a hand on Henri’s arm. “I know this is a lot to ask, but I have hope we can find a way to become the family we should have been some day.”
He takes her hand and pulls it against his chest. “We will. I’m not letting you leave me a second time.”
I smile, because I think Henri has forgiven Rachel for keeping Kelsey from him all these years. It doesn’t surprise me. Coupled with the undying love of true mates, Henri is a kind and generous man in many ways. I wonder how things would have played out if Rachel had come to him years ago. Until recently, half breeds were looked upon with disdain. It wasn’t known until a couple years ago that with a bite, they could be changed to a werebear, and Rachel and Henri wouldn’t have been able to be together the way they can now.
While I know humans who have become werebear and have no issue with it, Jean Luc was hesitant to let it happen with Kelsey and Val. He did give them permission, although it hasn’t happened yet, and I think witnessing the love between his best friend, Henri, and Rachel will help him feel good about the decision to let half breeds be changed when they discover their true mate. I think destiny knew what she was doing.
I watch Henri and Rachel as they talk quietly. They can’t stop touching each other, and it makes me think of Tally and Marcel. Tally doesn’t have any werebear in her genes, and she’d never be able to change, but the love she has for Marcel appears to be as intense as the true-mate bond. I wonder if there is a way they can end up together for more than a love affair. Since Tally is already a respected member of the clan as our medicine woman, it would be a seamless transition. But prejudice against humans does run strong throughout our community, and I expect some clan members would see their union as opening the door to letting humans into our world. And in reality, that would weaken the Ouellettes. Our warriors have enough to do keeping werebear safe.
Grace distracts me from my thoughts by nudging me with her elbow. “It’s wonderful to see Henri so happy, isn’t it?”
I nod. “He deserves it.” I sigh. “I wish the same could happen for Tally and Marcel.”
My mother-in-law’s eyes widen. “Izzy.”
“I know.” I offer her a small chuckle. “It’s the pregnancy hormones talking.” But I can’t shake the feeling that the connection between Marcel and Tally is stronger than usual human love. Once things settle down, I plan to talk to Kimi, because in my heart, I think there must be a way for my best friend to have a forever love.
Chapter 6
Kelsey
I can’t decide if every muscle in my body aches from exercise, shivering, or the fact I’m in a cage that doesn’t allow for much movement. I’m hungry and tired, and I’d almost given up hope that I might actually see the sleeping bag Linda said she was going to bring to me when the echo of footsteps gets my attention. Light bounces off the walls of the cave I’m in before the flashlight is pointed my way. From the soft step, I assume it’s Linda, but I don’t dare speak until she does.
Nylon rustles as a sleeping bag is pushed against the bars of my cage. “Here. You must be freezing,” says Linda.
I tug on the fabric to pull it through the space between two metal bars. “Thank you. I am.”
She gasps. “My god. You look and sound so much like her it’s scary.” Linda sets the flashlight in a crack so that it shines up and illuminates both of us in soft light. “I brought you hot chocolate and cookies too.”
“You did?” My voice is high like a child’s because her small act of kindness warms my heart. I also have hope that she could be the key out of my predicament. An insulated container clangs against my cage when I pull it through. “You have no idea how much I need sugar right now. Thank you so much.”
She shrugs. “I think I might. If you’re like your sister, I know you have a sweet tooth.”
“I do.” The zipper of the sleeping bag hums as I open it up, and I wrap it around my body. “Were you friends with Caitlyn?”
“Yeah. We were close.”
She sighs, and I wonder if she’s worried about my twin. I say, “She’s fine.”
“You’ve seen her?”
“I did.” I think about the lunch we had at Jean Luc and Isabelle’s house. Caitlyn wasn’t exactly thrilled to be there, but I think with time she’ll adjust to being back in the Ouellette clan. “She’s safe and back with her family.”
Linda lets out a small noise from the back of her throat. “Right. She hated her family.”
“She should hate her--the woman who pretended to be her mother. She lied and sent Caitlyn away. But Henri, our father, loves her very much, and I was looking forward to spending time with the twin I never knew I had.” As I pour hot liquid, it warms the insulated container’s cap that doubles as a cup, and I capture the heat with my hands.
“You didn’t know her?”
“No. I grew up in Maine.” I sigh because I don’t want to explain the whole thing, and it’s probably not a good idea to give up too much information anyway. “It’s complicated.”
“Family usually is,” says Linda.
I crunch into a cookie and let out a little moan when I discover it’s peanut butter, because it’s my favorite. “Oh my god, this is so good. Did you make it?”
“Yep. They were Caitlyn’s favorite too.”
I wonder if I can use Linda and Caitlyn’s relationship to
my advantage. “I bet she was glad to have you as a friend.”
“It was good to have her. It’s tough being the only--”
Linda fakes a cough, and I think it’s to hide that she almost said too much, but it makes me think she wants to open up to me. I recall how the man who came with Linda earlier hit her, and my voice is low when I ask, “Does that guy hit you a lot?”
She answers almost before I finish asking. “No. I--” She lets out a rush of air and stands up. “I should go.”
“No. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry or judge. Please don’t leave yet.”
The light illuminates Linda from below, making her look like a bad horror-flick heroine as she snaps at me. “Buck’s not a bad guy. If it weren’t for him, I’m not sure I’d still be alive.”
“Wow. So he saved your life?”
“In a way.” She sighs. “He gave me a roof over my head, food, and clothing. Things you take for granted until you don’t have them.”
Considering I lived a charmed life and nothing bad happened to me until recently, I don’t know what it’s like to not have your basic needs met, but I can empathize. Since I’m trying to get her on my side, I say, “I know what you mean. That was a kind thing for him to do.”
“Kind.” She lets out a small laugh. I notice her lower slowly back down to sit. “I think he did it because he wanted a woman to warm his bed, and then when he got tired of me, he kept me around to cook and do the laundry for the group.”
I’m dying to ask more about the hunters, but I know I’m treading on thin ice. I tiptoe around her almost-revelation that she and Caitlyn were the only women and say, “It must be hard now with Caitlyn gone.”
“I’m okay.” Her coat rustles as she changes her position. “So you really can’t shift, huh?”
“Nope. And I’ve been tested to be sure.” I grimace as I recall the beating Izzy gave me. I’m not clear on what the hunters know about witches, so I don’t explain how Nadia was sucked into my sister’s body and that’s why she could shift. “It was a freak thing that Caitlyn managed to do it.”